WE now know who in government circles earns more than the Prime Minister and if David Cameron has his way we will soon learn just who in local government not only earns more than the PM, but anyone who is earning more than £50,000 a year and why.

I have nothing against people earning £50,000 a year or more if they are worth it. It is the system, which has enabled many to reach that figure, and those who go into six figures, which is rotten. Bad management in the past and now, has led to civil servants and local government workers being paid salaries with fat cat pensions to match, that go far beyond what they deserve.

When the full list is published countrywide, listing all those in the civil service and local government earning high salaries we will all be able to take a long hard look and make up our own minds whether they are worth it or not.

Back in the 1960s I can well remember my peers, concerned about their respective offspring’s future employment telling them: “Go into local government lad, you will have a job for life and a pension.”

That must have been good advice, for the number of people now retiring from local government with huge pensions has never been so high.

When the forthcoming round of expected redundancies takes place at Cornwall Council we will be able to see who jumps forward to volunteer.

I daresay there will be quite a few employees, having already done their calculations, who jump at the chance and say, “I’m off. Thanks for the memory.”